


Autumn's Wind and Winter's Snow

by Daughter_of_the_Mountains



Category: Brave (2012)
Genre: Arranged Marriages, Fear, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 16:59:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6248149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daughter_of_the_Mountains/pseuds/Daughter_of_the_Mountains





	Autumn's Wind and Winter's Snow

Her breath was caught in her throat. Her long, delicate fingers reached for the garnet necklace clasped around her neck - a gift from her long-dead father. Beside her, the red-clad figure of Iona Kildaen, the brunette maiden's mother, sat up straight, her own golden eyes bright with pleasure. 

For Fergus DunBroch had just defeated his foe. He was huge, measuring at least seven feet in height and he was so huge with muscle that Elinor had to fight not to tremble. _'I am the daughter of Baen Kildaen,'_ she told herself. _'I am_ not _afraid. I will not_ be _afraid.'_ She jumped as her mother's bony, sharp elbow sharply jabbed her.

"Don't just sit there scowling, girl," Iona hissed. "Stand up and greet your betrothed this instant. How _dare_ you threaten to shame your father's memory this way?!"

Elinor stood. She was in light red, in honour of her clan. _'Pink,'_ she had said upon seeing the silken sheets. Iona had sighed as though she had been impertinent. _'Are you stupid, girl?'_ Iona had snapped. _'This is red! Och, the shame of bearing an idiotic daughter! It's lucky you're not barren or I'd never be rid of you.'_

Yet, Iona had dug from a box a scarlet surcoat. _'Here,'_ she had said with a sneer. _'This is probably easier for you to see as being red, girl.'_

Elinor looked at the long sleeves, which nearly hit the muddy ground. She raised her arms and looked up as she met this new suitor. His eyes surprised her. They were a very bright blue, looking almost innocent in the bearded, rugged face. His hair, curly and vibrant, edged out from under his helmet. She curtsied. "Congratulations, milord. I am honoured to be yours."

"No, lass- er, milady, the honour is all mine." Fergus DunBroch said. He took her hand which seemed so small in his large paw, and kissed it. His lips were soft and the touch was gentle as though he was shy of hurting her.

"Thank you," Elinor said. "I..I look forward to our union. I shall try my best to be a worthy bride."

There was a quizzical look in Fergus' eyes at this, but Elinor stiffened as she noticed in the corner of her eye, a familiar figure dressed in red velvet. "Young Lord DunBroch," Iona greeted, her white teeth bared in a grin. Her hand gripped Elinor's wrist almost painfully. "I am glad to welcome you into the family. My daughter will bear you sons as strong as yourself, I assure you." 

"My mum is just glad to be getting a daughter at long last!" Fergus said with a bark of laughter.

Iona smiled rather icily. "That's nice. I've just been speaking with your father-"

"DunBroch the elder," Fergus muttered.

"I _heard_ that!" A male voice called somewhere in the background.

"-And he agrees," said Iona as though she'd never been interrupted, "that the marriage should occur as soon as possible. But of course, as the man who is taking the girl off my hands, I thought I'd get your opinion on how long."

Fergus frowned. Elinor looked at the ground. "Why should I alone decide?"

"Elinor will wed as I ask," Lady Kildaen answered. 

Elinor noticed a brief look of panic flash over Fergus' features. "A month?" she offered.

He looked almost grateful at her interjection. "Perfect," he said. 

Iona gave Elinor a bitter look. "Very well," she said. "Elinor, come."

* * *

 

"How dare _you_ answer? I did not ask _you_ , I asked that poor lad who will have to put up with your idiotic ways until one of you dies!"

"Mother, he was shy-"

"Shy?" Iona exploded and she slapped her daughter across the face. "Why, you stupid, wilful girl! He will think you are too talkative and domineering and if he pulls out of this marriage, I shall _never_ forgive you!"

Elinor touched her burning cheek. Her mother had a hard hand, but it was not the first time the woman had struck her. "I-I'm sorry-"

"And this stuttering!" Iona went on. "No man thinks a stuttering woman is attractive! A lady must be sure of what she is saying!"

"I forgot." Elinor mumbled.

"Oh, you're _mumbling_ now, are you? Gods, you're utterly _pathetic!_ Get out of my sight, you _stupid_ girl!"

Elinor stumbled out of her mother's bedchambers. Once, Iona had been warm and kind. After her husband, Elinor's father had died, Iona had the lands' troubles heaped upon her and she had become more withdrawn and angry. Elinor just wished her mother wasn't angry with her. Tears blurred her vision and she bumped into something stout and soft. 

"Och, lassie! Where are you off to- Oh, Lady Elinor!"

Hoping her eyes weren't already red-rimmed, Elinor looked into the eyes of the woman she had bumped into. They were green and kindly, little laughter lines creasing around the edges. "Hello," she greeted. 

"I'm Sulwen. Your future mother-in-law, dear."

Elinor noticed the curly red hair. It was as fiery as Fergus' and though the tiny woman had tried to braid it, it had escaped. "Oh. I'm honoured to meet you."

Sulwen rested a gentle hand on the cheek Iona had slapped. "Would you show me to my chambers, sweetheart?"

"Of course, Lady Sulwen." Elinor said. Sulwen slipped her arm through hers and walked beside her up the many smooth, stone stairs.

"Call me 'Mum', darling. You will be my daughter by marriage soon enough."

"I'm not sure it would be proper."

"Who cares what's proper?" Lady Sulwen said casually. "Sloan's father thought a jeweller's daughter wouldnae be good enough for his son and look what a fine lad the two of us made!"

"How- how old were you when you courted and wed?"

"Oh, we were young back then. He was coming up for twenty and I had just turned nineteen."

"You were that old?" Elinor asked, surprised.

"Don't look so shocked, dear! I'm not about to grow any white hairs yet. You're fourteen, aren't you?" Elinor nodded. Even at this age, she towered over her future mother in law. Sulwen gently rubbed her shoulder. "You're young, dear. Don't worry about bearing children just yet. There's plenty of time for you."

"Mother says if I don't have any within the first year, my husband might think I'm faulty goods."

"Och, that woman," Sulwen muttered. "It took three years before I had Fergus. It shall happen when it happens. I cannae wait to get you back to Castle DunBroch. We can go horse-riding together. You ever been?"

"No," Elinor answered. "I've been taught, but my mother tells me that riding all the time is unladylike."

"Lot of nonsense." Sulwen said as they stopped outside the chambers. "Come in, pet, I want to look after your cheek."

"Oh, no, it's fine-"

"It's _not_ fine. I dunnae what that woman has been saying to you, but I imagine she's responsible for that mark. Now, _that's_ unladylike." Sulwen led her inside the room. Elinor blinked. Upon the bed was a thick, black fur rug. "Bear fur," Sulwen said, smiling. "Sloan gifted it to me the year I was pregnant with Fergus."

Elinor touched the soft dark item. "It's lovely."

"Aye, it is. Sit down, dear. Hold this flannel to your face." Elinor obeyed. Sulwen sat beside her and started unbraiding her curly, vibrant red locks. Unpinned and unbraided, it fell to the small of her back. The older woman smiled at her. "You do have your father's hair. Though it is much longer!"

Elinor smiled back at her. "I miss him. I wish he were here. When I was a wee girl, he used to say that any man would have to go through him to get to me."

Sulwen chuckled. "All dads are like that with their tiny girls!" She rested a hand over Elinor's. Her fingers were covered in gold rings, shining brightly. "Fergus will be good to you. We raised our son to be respectful, kind and good-humoured. I may not understand what it feels to be betrothed, but I understand that first feeling of imposing marriage. It can be frightening. But it will be worth it in the end."

"If...If I'm not ready to, er.. If I can't."

"Is the wedding night worrying you?" Sulwen asked gently. "Don't let it. No laws explicitly say the marriage must be consummated immediately. All that matters is he carries you over the threshold to keep bad spirits out."

"Truly?" Elinor asked, feeling a great burden lift from her shoulders. 

"Yes, truly. There's no reason to be afraid, sweetheart."

And then, for the first time in eight years, a mother kissed Elinor's pale cheek.


End file.
